Drawing from her experience as an elementary teacher, teacher educator, and literacy researcher, Sister Immaculata Marie of the Dominican Sisters of Saint Cecilia invites us to see reading as far more than a technical skill. Rooted in Scripture, theology, and the Catholic intellectual tradition, she presents literature as a privileged means of shaping the human person—forming not only the mind, but the heart, imagination, and moral life.

Together, we explore how stories foster deeper self-knowledge and empathy. We discuss the surprising connections between neuroscience and virtue formation, including the role of mirror neurons in helping readers enter into the experiences of literary characters. And we reflect on Christ as the Word of God, the importance of our “literary diet,” and why reading aloud to children is one of the best things parents and teachers can do.

Music by Braden Kuntz